Hi all.
I am very new to quilting and have a small issue that has been nagging at me.
One of the fabric stores I go to tears fabric off the bolt instead of cutting it. This bothers me. I don't like the ragged, stringy edges it leaves, it kind of takes away from the beauty of the material and I feel like it makes a bit of the fabric unusable. Not having a lot of experience, I wanted to ask you folks if this is common practice? Am I being too picky? Would it be terribly demanding of me to ask them to please cut my fabric?

Thanks in advance for your opinions.
Have a great day!
Lori

Up here in the PNW I have never had my fabric ripped, but it is common practice still in other areas.
I don't like the raggy edges either :D:D:D

Some people prefer to rip/tear their fabric instead of cutting it. Would it be too demanding for you to ask them to cut rather than rip/tear? I don't think so. I also don't like the frayed edges it leaves, nor do I want to be buying fabric that might have been distorted by this method of "cutting". I'll be interested to see other people's replies.

Hmm... I've never seen that. I don't think I would like it either.

Our LQS rips, too, on the idea that it's more accurate than cutting. I prefer it to be ripped, honestly, because I think they're right.

Some shops tear, most cut. With tearing you do get a truer straight grain across the end. Most of the time, when I get home with "cut" fabric, I lose some on the end from having to square it up. So I'm not sure, in the long run, if it matters whether you lose it from "squaring" or from "neatening" the end.

I have never seen a shop tear, But I have done this for years to put the fabric on the straight of grain.
Rae

Does tearing fabric distort it? Can you tell I haven't done it! :lol:

I like it better cut rather then torn! I have asked at Fabricland for them to cut it rather then rip it. They don't seem to have a problem when I ask. The LQS I go to has always cut. They actually use their rotary cutters.

if it's good fabric a little bit of a press will straighten out the ends. however, it's also true that you lose about 1/4" on each end because of the ravels and frays.

i tear my own fabric when i want just a hunk off a long stretch, so i don't mind it when i'm shopping. BUT i do politely ask that they measure carefully to make sure that i get a usable amount that's equal to what i'm paying for. so far, i haven't gotten ripped off. (a very bad pun, i know, but i couldn't resist. :lol: )